Apparatus for transport and storage of liquid specimens for radio-immunoassay for insulin

ABSTRACT

Samples from a number of individual liquid specimens containing varying and unknown amounts of insulin are made radioactive and are sequentially supplied to a continuously moving paper strip to impregnate the strip with separate spaced specimens along its length, which are then washed and dried. Cellophane tape is continuously adhesively united to the strip bearing the impregnated and dried specimens and the composite strip and tape are stored in a roll from which the strip may be taken for examination and analysis of the separate specimens.

United States Patent Viktora et a].

[ 1 July 11, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF LIQUIDSPECIMENS FOR RADIO-IMMUNOASSAY FOR INSULIN [72] Inventors: Jose! KarelVllttora, Hyattsville; Albert Jone] Baukal, Silver Spring, both of Md.

[73] Assignee: The Research Foundation of the Wishington HospitalCenter, Washington, DC.

[22] Filed: Sept. 11, I969 [21] App]. No.: 857,034

[52] US. Cl ..73/42l R, 23/253 R [51] Int. Cl. ..G0ln 1/00 [58]FieldolSearch ..73/42l,53,6l,6l.l;23/253,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,734,377 2/1956 Traver..73/6l.1

Buttolph et al. ..53/ l 80 Natelson ..23/253 Primary Examiner-Louis R.Prince Assistant Examiner-William A. Henry, I] Ar!orne -Scrivener,Parker, Scrivener and Clark ABSTRACT Samples from a number of individualliquid specimens con taining varying and unknown amounts of insulin aremade radioactive and are sequentially supplied to a continuously movingpaper strip to impregnate the strip with separate spaced specimens alongits length, which are then washed and dried. Cellophane tape iscontinuously adhesively united to the strip bearing the impregnated anddried specimens and the composite strip and tape are stored in a rollfrom which the strip may be taken for examination and analysis of theseparate specimens.

ZCIaImsJDrawingFigure r-uouxo SAMPLE Mir/ASH LIQUID SUCTION PumpINVENTORS Josef K Vi/rfora A/ber/ J. Baukaf' A ORNEYS P'A'TENTEDJUL 1 I1972 mw mm M 12 31 x H 29.63 m 2 E: N]

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF LIQUID SPECIMENS FORRADIO-IMIVIUNOASSAY FOR INSULIN DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The singleFIGURE of the drawings is a front view of the transport and storageapparatus provided by the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates broadly to liquidanalysis apparatus of the type providing a series of liquid samples and,more particularly, to apparatus for storing the samples for later studyand analysis.

In United States Letters Pat. No. 3,] 34,263, issued May, 26, 1964 to E.B. M. de long, for Sample Supply Device for Automatic AnalysisApparatus, there is described apparatus for producing a stream ofdiscrete radioactive liquid samples which are separated from each otherby intervening segments of a wash liquid disposed between a pair of airsegments. The wash liquid segments are efiective to cleanse the walls ofthe analysis apparatus and prevent contamination of a sample by apreceding sample, and this cleansing action is in addition to thecleansing action provided by the intervening air segments. In thatpatent analysis apparatus is generally disclosed at 34 but is not partof the patented invention and therefore is not specifically described.The specification of the patent is incorporated into this specificationby reference, as an example of auto-analysis apparatus, but it will beunderstood that other apparatus may be used to produce the stream ofsamples which are transported and stored by the means provided by thisinvention. The patented apparatus is commercially available under thetrademark Technicon.

In accordance with the invention, means are provided for a plying thestream of radioactive liquid samples emerging from a standardauto-analyzer apparatus such as the Technicon to an absorbent strip onwhich the successive samples are separated, washed and dried, afterwhich they are sealed by a plastic strip and collected on a take-up reelfrom which they may be removed for scanning and evaluation at any later,convenient time.

One form which the invention may take is illustrated in the drawings andcomprises a rigid mounting base of any suitable size, shape and materialhaving a preferably vertical front surface 2. Three depending capillarytubes 4, 6, 8 having open lower ends are mounted on this surface and areconnected to parts of the auto-analyzer apparatus to produce throughtube 4 a spaced series of liquid samples, and through tubes 6, 8 twowash liquids.

Means are provided by the invention for receiving the liquid samples andwash liquid from tubes 4, 6, 8, and such means comprise first arotatable supply reel 10 on which there is mounted a roll of absorbentstrip material 12 such as filter paper. A coil compression spring, whichis not shown, may be provided for applying tension to reel 10 to causean even rate of delivery of paper from the roll. As illustrated, thesupply reel is mounted below and at one side of the group of tubes 4, 6,8. At the other side of the group of tubes and also below them there isrotatably mounted on the base a take-up reel 14, and the strip ofabsorbent material 12 is led from the supply reel 10 to the take-up reel14 over sprocket-type guide rollers l6, 18 which are so spaced andarranged with respect to reels l0, l4 and the group of tubes 4, 6, 8that a horizontal reach of the absorbent strip passes just below thelower ends of the tubes, as shown at 20.

Means are provided by the invention for supporting and pulling thehorizontal reach 20 of the absorbent strip 12, and comprises achemically inert, perforated endless belt 30 which is trained overrollers l6, 18 below the absorbent strip and also beneath a third roller32 which is located beneath and between rollers l6, l8 whereby theendless belt forms an inverted triangle having its horizontal base 34below and in supporting contact relation to the horizontal reach 20 ofthe absorbent strip.

Means are provided by the invention for causing the liquid samplefalling from capillary tube 4 and the successive washes falling fromtubes 6, 8 to be held on the absorbent strip 12 without spreading,thereby to provide discrete samples embedded in the strip, which may beseparately scanned and evaluated. Such means comprise three porcelainfilter discs 40, 42, 44 which are positioned, respectively, beneath thetubes 4, 6, 8 and also beneath the horizontal reach formed by the parts20, 34 of the absorbent strip 12 and the endless belt 30. These filterdiscs are mounted on a glass tube 46 and each is connected by tubing toa vacuum pump 48.

Means are also provided for heating the washed samples afterimpregnation into the absorbent strip, and such means are positionedadjacent and downstream from the filter discs which have just beendescribed. These means comprise an elongated horizontal tube 50 which ispositioned below the horizontal reaches 20, 34 and which is connected toa source of air under pressure 52 and within which is an electricalresistance heating element 54. The upper part of the tube is providedwith an elongated opening just below the horizontal reaches 20, 34 todirect heated air upwardly onto the strips.

Means are provided for sealing the absorbent strip 12 after the washedsamples have been impregnated into it, and such means comprise a reel 60which is rotatably mounted on the mounting base above the supply reel 10and above the horizontal reaches 20, 34 of the two strips 12, 30. A rollof cellophane strip 62 (or other suitable material) is mounted on thisreel and is trained from the reel under a roller 64 into surface contactwith the upper surface of the horizontal reach 20 of the absorbent strip12 downstream of the area of impingement of heated air from tube 50. Thecellophane strip is not adhered or otherwise connected to strip 12 butmoves in surface contact with it to be wound with strip 12 on thetake-up reel 14.

Any suitable means may be provided for imparting the necessary movementto the apparatus to cause the absorbent strip and cellophane tape to bedrawn from their respective supply rolls to the take-up roll on reel 14.in the described embodiment these means comprise an electric motor 70the armature of which is connected to a roller 72 which drives the belt30 and strip 12 by friction. The motor armature is also connected byslipping belt 74 to reel 14 to positively drive it and coil on it thecomposite strip 12, 62.

In the use and operation of the described apparatus the motor 70 isoperated to cause the belt 30 to move in its endless path with its upperhorizontal reach 34 below and in surface contact with the horizontalreach 20 of the absorbent strip 12, thus supporting the horizontal reachof the absorbent strip and assisting its movement. At the same timemotor 70 drives the take-up reel 14, causing the composite absorbentstrip and cellophane strip to coil up on that reel. Liquid samples fromthe auto analyzer apparatus periodically drop from capillary tube 4 ontothe absorbent strip and are fixed there by vacuum applied through filterdisc 40, after which each sample is subjected to washes from capillarytubes 6, 8, each being fixed by vacuum applied, respectively, throughfilter discs 42, 44. Each fixed and washed sample then passes with themoving absorbent strip over the drying area provided by the upwardlydirected air stream from tube 50. Cellophane strip 62 now engages theupper surface of the impregnated absorbent strip 12 and the two stripsare moved in surface-to-surface engagement into the storage roll ontake-up reel 14, from which any part may be scanned and evaluated at anytime.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for transporting and storing liquid samples supplied by anauto-analyzer apparatus, comprising a supporting base, a capillary tubevertically mounted on the base and having an open lower end and beingadapted to receive and dispense a series of separate liquid samples, atleast one additional capillary tube vertically mounted on the baseadjacent the first capillary tube and having an open lower end and beingadapted to receive and dispense a wash liquid, a supply roll ofabsorbent strip material rotatably mounted on the base,

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising, in addition, meanspositioned upstream of the strip from the filter discs and below thestrip for directing a stream of heated air upfilter disc beneath each ofsaid tubes and beneath the strip, 5 wardly onto the and means forapplying suction to each disc.

I i i t

1. Apparatus for transporting and storing liquid samples supplied by anauto-analyzer apparatus, comprising a supporting base, a capillary tubevertically mounted on the base and having an open lower end and beingadapted to receive and dispense a series of separate liquid samples, atleast one additional capillary tube vertically mounted on the baseadjacent the first capillary tube and having an open lower end and beingadapted to receive and dispense a wash liquid, a supply roll ofabsorbent strip material rotatably mounted on the base, a storage rollrotatably mounted on the base, means for guiding strip material from thesupply roll to the storage roll over a path passing under said tubes,means for causing the strip to pass along said path from the supply rollto the storage roll, a filter disc beneath each of said tubes andbeneath the strip, and means for applying suction to each disc. 2.Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising, in addition, means positionedupstream of the strip from the filter discs and below the strip fordirecting a stream of heated air upwardly onto the strip.